Tenerife 23rd - 27th February 2015

A very successful and short trip to this small Island. Birding was very easy and all the targets were pretty simple to see. I flew in with my beloved easyJet (arriving in the evening of the 23rd and leaving at lunchtime on the 27th) and hired a car from Goldcar Rental. I stayed in Puerto de la Cruz for three nights, but only had two full days birding, which in my opinion was more than enough time, as I managed to see all the targets, which include the hopeful future splits.

Before leaving the airport I had already picked up a lifer - a CANARY ISLAND CHIFFCHAFF. This species turned out to be the commonest bird on the island.

Day 1

Pigeons were my main targets so I set about seeing these first thing, then moving on to a known site for nesting Barbary Falcons. A route then taking in view of Mt Teide was next seeing a few more endemics before descending back down to the hotel. 

Mirador de Lagrimona

LAUREL PIGEON - 4

BOLLE'S PIGEON - 1 sat next to a Laurel Pigeon. 

Kestrel 

ISLAND CANARY - 5

tenerife Blue Tit - 4

Cory's Shearwater - 10

Punto de Teno

BARBARY FALCON - 2

Cory's Shearwater 

La Lajas

BLUE CHAFFINCH - 10+

Island Canary - 20+

tenerife Great Spotted Woodpecker - 2

CANARY ISLAND GOLDCREST - 1

Ruiz Gorge

Sparrowhawk - 3

tenerife Blue Tit

tenerife Robin - common

 Blue Chaffinch at La Lajas picnic site - stunning bird

 Laurel Pigeon - note the white tail band

both Laurel (left) and Bolle's Pigeon. The dark-pale-dark tail pattern on the Bolle's is just visible.

'tenerife' Blue Tit

 La Lajas Picnic site - site for Blue Chaffinch

beautiful view from above the clouds of Mt. Teide

Day 2

After yesterday's great success seeing all but two of my targets, this morning carried on the same way. The morning was spent where the Laurel Forests meet the Pine Forest, before again taking another look at the Falcons. A short seawatch was had before packing it in and returning to the hotel and chilling out around the town, only to be interrupted by 2 superb Barbary Falcons displaying right in front of me. A brilliant display. 

Chanajiga

Chaffinch sp. tintillon - 8

PLAIN SWIFT - ca. 50

Canary Island Goldcrest - 3

Sparrowhawk - 1 female

Blackcap - 1 male

tenerife Blue Tit - 6

tenerife Robin - 4

Punto de Tino

Barbary Falcon - 2

Cory's Shearwater - 100 in twenty-five minutes

atlantis Yellow-legged Gull - 20

Mirador de Lagrimonas

Laurel Pigeon - 10 in half hour

Puerto de la Cruz

Barbary Falcon - 2 showing superbly

Senegal Parrot - 1

Ring-necked Parakeet - 4

 'Canary Island' Chaffinch - what a beauty

 distant Barbary Falcon

Canary Island Chiffchaff

 Barbary Falcon site - dangerous road though with rocks falling close to me on occasions

 Chanajiga - mid morning a large flock of Plain Swift were feeding above the distant ridge

Punto de Teno